Joseph napoleon piche



J. N. FICHE.`

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPucATloN msu MAR. 24. |916.

1 ,1 94,062. Patented Aug. 8,1916.

JOSEPH NAPOLON PICH, 0F sT. BASILE, QUEBEC, CANADA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 8, 1916.

Application filed March 24, 1916. Serial No. 86,327.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH NAPoLoN PICH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at St. Basile, Portneuf county, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fire escapes.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which may be slidably attached to a rope so that the weight of a person automatically applies a brake to prevent a too rapid descent.

A further object is to provide means for manually applying the brake to regulate the movement down of a person operating the device, so that the braking effect caused by the weight of the person is overcome.

- My invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, I have illustrated a form of embodiment of my invention, in which drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation; and, Fig. 2 is an edge elevation.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates a plate or supporting body of metal having a bent over edge 2 at one side. Disposed be tween the bent over portion 2 and the body 1 is a rope or other HeXible member 3 on which the body 1 may easily slide.

Intermediate of its end, the body 1 and bent over edge 2 are provided with a pair of inclined slots 4 terminating in vertical extensions 5. An upper headed pin 6 is disposed in an upper vertical extension and a lower headed pin 7 is disposed in the lower vertical extension. A plate 8 is slidably disposed between the bent over edge 2 and the body 1. A lever 9 is disposed on the plate so that the headed pin 6 forms a pivot therefor and passes through the plate. The free end of the lever 9 projects beyond the plane edge of the body 1 and adjacent its pivoted end. The lever 9 is provided with a shoulder 10.

A lever 11 is pivoted on the lower headed pin 7 which also passes through the plate 8. The lever 11 is provided with an approximately straight face 12 and projecting rounded shoulders 13, one of the shoulders being arranged in the path of movement of the shoulder 10 of the lever 9.

The entire construction formed by the block 8, the pins 6 and 7, and the levers 9 and 11, is easily removable by a slight upward pressure to clear the headed pins from the vertical extensions 5 so that the pins will slide along the slots 4, to permit the insertion of the rope 3 under the bent edge 2. A spring 14 has a hooked lower end 15 which is engaged with the lower end of the bent over edge 2 and has its body portion engaged over the headed pin 7, so that the construction described is normally retained in position7 and may be easily removed by' pressing the body portion of the spring 14 out of engagement with the headed pin 7.

A snap 16 is detachably connected with the outer end of the lever 11 and by means oi'' links 17 is secured to a belt 18 designed to engage the body of the operator using the fire escape.

In the operation of the device, the rope 3 being placed in position and the construction carried by the block 8 being in position and the upper end of the rope 3 being fixed, the belt 18 is engaged around the body of the user and the weight of the user rocks the lever 11 on its pivot 7 so that the lower rounded shoulder 13 bears against the rope and presses it closely against the bent portion of the plate 1 so that descent of the person using the device is checked. To overcome this and permit the ready descent of the device and the operator the operator applies pressure to the lever 9,' rocking it downward on its pivot 6 and causing the shoulder 10 to bear against the upper shoulder of the lever 11 so that the straight face 12 bears on the rope 3 and permits a steady descent. Further pressure on the lever 9 rocks the rounded portion 13 at the upper side of the lever 11 against the rope 3 and checks the descent.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lire escape comprising a body mcmber, a block slidable on the body member, a lever pivotally connected to the block, a second lever pivoted to the block and arranged to contact with a part of the first lever, and means for supporting an operator from the second lever.

2. A fire escape comprising a body member, a block slidable on the body member, a lever pivotally connected to the block, a second lever pivoted to the block having a face straight for a portion of its length and having rounded ends and arranged to contact with a part of the first lever, and means for supporting an operator from the second lever.

3. A fire escape comprising the combination of a plate having a bent over edge and a plurality of inclined slots terminating in vertical extensions, headed pins disposed in the extensions, a block disposed on the plate, a plurality of levers, the pins being disposed through the block, levers and the extensions, and means for retaining the pins in position.

4. A lire escape comprising the combination of a plate having a bent over edge and a plurality of inclined slots terminating in vertical extensions, headed pins disposed in the extensions, a block disposed on the plate, a plurality of levers, the pins being disposed through the block, levers and the extensions, and a spring having one end secured to the plate and its body disposed around one of the pins.

5. A lire escape comprising the combination of a plate having a bent over edge, a flexible member disposed between the bent over edge and the body of the plate, a block slidably disposed adjacent the flexible member, levers pivoted to the blocks so that one will bear on the other, and means for supporting a body from one of the levers.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. n r

JOSEPH NAPOLEON PIOHE.

Witnesses:

NAPOLEON PICH, ERNEST E. PICH.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

